Changeable wheel track mechanism for track width adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12005737-B2
Application number	US-202217992066-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2022
Priority date	Mar 10, 2022
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

State of the art track width adjustment mechanism fail to support track width adjustment while vehicle is in motion. They also require manual intervention, which causes inconvenience. The disclosure herein generally relates to wheel track adjustment, and, more particularly, to a changeable wheel track mechanism for track width adjustment (referred to as TWA mechanism). The TWA mechanism includes a steer and drive unit, a plurality of links, and a sliding unit. The TWA mechanism allows movement of a wheel in inward and outward directions, causing the track width adjustment. The track width is achieved by changing the wheel position to be at a wider position, or a narrower position, or any intermediate position. The TWA mechanism may be associated with any vehicle for which the track width adjustment is to be achieved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A track width adjustment (TWA) mechanism, comprising:
a steer and drive unit, wherein the steer and drive unit comprises:
a bevel gear housing, wherein the bevel gear housing is configured to accommodate a first bevel gear and a second bevel gear which provide connection between two shafts which lie at a pre-defined angle to each other for transmission of motion and force, wherein the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear are connected at a predefined angle to each other, and a shaft end of the first bevel gear is connected to a motor and a shaft end of the second bevel gear is connected to a wheel bracket, forming a gear train;
the motor, wherein the motor is mounted on a support provided on a first outer face of the bevel gear housing, wherein the motor is connected to the first bevel gear and causes rotation of the first bevel gear, and wherein the gear train transmits motion and force from the motor through the first bevel gear and the second bevel gear to the wheel bracket, causing the wheel bracket to rotate which further causes a motorized wheel connected to the wheel bracket to rotate about the axis of the second bevel gear; and
a thrust bearing and a radial bearing, wherein the thrust bearing and the radial bearing are held at an intended position by a flange housing with one or more spacers;

a plurality of links comprising an upper set of links and a lower set of links, wherein,
a first end of each of the plurality of links is connected to the bevel gear housing and a second end of each of the plurality of links is connected to a sliding plate, wherein the plurality of links form a connection between the steer and drive unit and a sliding unit, wherein the plurality of links carry transfer of load between a chassis and the motorized wheel,
wherein the lower set of links encompasses a slot for a suspension system that transmits the load to the suspension system, and
wherein the upper set of links and the lower set of links pivot and rotate around a connection at the first end of the plurality of links, and
the second end of each of the plurality of links which is connected to the bevel gear housing and the sliding plate respectively, wherein the rotation of the upper set of links and the lower set of links provides a coherent motion when the sliding plate moves in the first direction and the second direction vertically while the motorized wheel rolls inwards and outwards of the chassis respectively,

wherein the sliding unit comprises:
the sliding plate, wherein a first end of the sliding plate is connected to the plurality of links and a second end of the sliding plate is mounted on a Linear Motion (LM) carriage, wherein the LM carriage slides over a plurality of LM rails mounted onto an attachment plate,
wherein the attachment plate is configured for fixing and connecting the TWA mechanism with the chassis, wherein a back surface of the attachment plate is attached to the chassis, wherein the attachment plate comprises a plurality of locating holes for connecting a spring-loaded plunger, and wherein the spring-loaded plunger has a locking element with a pin with an attached pull knob for adjusting position of the locking element, wherein when the attached pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger is in a first position, an opposite end of the spring-loaded plunger moves inside one of a plurality of holes in the attachment plate to constraint the motion of the sliding plate,
wherein when the pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger is in a second position the opposite end of the spring-loaded plunger moves back and detaches from the hole, causing the sliding unit to slide with motion of the plurality of links; and
a lead screw, wherein the lead screw is fixed at top end of the sliding unit with a fixed nut, wherein the lead screw is configured to rotate on an associated axis, wherein rotation of the lead screw causes (i) the sliding plate to move in a first direction and a second direction, (ii) movement of the plurality of links, and (iii) shift in the position of the motorized wheel.

2. The TWA mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an inward movement of the motorized wheel is achieved by adjusting track width using the TWA mechanism, comprises:
rotating the motorized wheel at a pre-defined angle about the axis of the second bevel gear, using a motor-bevel gear configuration comprising the motor, the first bevel gear, and the second bevel gear;
pulling the attached pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger on the first end and the second end of the sliding plate, causing release of the spring-loaded plunger from the hole in the attachment plate with which the spring-loaded plunger is connected, further causing the sliding plate to move in a first direction in with the motion of the plurality of links;
rotating the lead screw causing the sliding plate to slide in the first direction, wherein the motion of sliding plate causes the motorized wheel to rotate inwards, further causing the track width adjustment; releasing the attached pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger, causing the spring-loaded plunger to secure a connection with one of the plurality of holes in the attachment plate, where the track width adjustment has achieved; and
rotating the motorized wheel clockwise by the pre-defined angle to regain a normal driving position.

3. The TWA mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an outward movement of the motorized wheel is achieved by adjusting track width using the TWA mechanism, comprises:
rotating the motorized wheel at a pre-defined angle, using a motor-bevel gear configuration comprising the motor, the first bevel gear, and the second bevel gear;
pulling the attached pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger on the first end and the second end of the sliding plate, causing release of the spring-loaded plunger from the hole in the attachment plate with which the spring-loaded plunger is connected, further causing the sliding plate to move in a second direction with the motion of the plurality of links;
rotating the lead screw causing the sliding plate to slide in the second direction, wherein the motion of sliding plate causes the motorized wheel to rotate outwards, further causing the track width adjustment; releasing the attached pull knob of the spring-loaded plunger, causing the spring loaded plunger to secure a connection with one of the plurality of holes attachment plate, where the track width adjustment has achieved; and
rotating the motorized wheel clockwise at the pre-defined angle to regain a normal driving position.

4. The TWA mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined angle causes the two shafts to lie at a right angle to each other.

5. The TWA mechanism as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bevel gear arrangement is used to change orientation of the motorized wheel and one or more other wheels in the TWA mechanism, causing movement of a vehicle attached with the TWA mechanism in any direction.

Assignees

• Tata Consultancy Services Ltd

Inventors

• Bangalore Srinivas Venkatesh Prasad
• Chintalapalli Patta Venkat Raju
• Ponnath Raghav
• Bhogineni Sreehari Kumar
• Ambwani Prakash Chanderlal
• Sinha Rajesh

Classifications

• B60B35/1081

  the element is a wheel · CPC title

• B60B33/04

  adjustable {, e.g. in height; linearly shifting castors} · CPC title

• B60B33/025

  by using form-fit, e.g. front teeth · CPC title

• B60B33/0021

  in the form of a mounting pin · CPC title

• B60G2300/40

  Variable track or wheelbase vehicles · CPC title